Preparing the polls

Surrounded by piles of new voter registration cards, old pens and municipal election guides from past years, Clovis City Clerk LeighAnn Melancon worked at a rapid pace getting ready for today’s Clovis municipal election.

As she separated ballots and posters into a locked ballot box for each of nine polling locations, Melancon said her office is expecting a voter turnout of about 40 percent, which would be the highest since 1994.

There are 15,799 voters for the election, according to the clerk’s office.

Voters today will be choosing a new mayor, four city commissioners and deciding whether to allow Sunday alcohol sales in restaurants and bars.

“Because of the combination of the things on the ballot, there’s a high amount of interest,” Melancon said. “Especially with voting for a new mayor. It’s the beginning of a new era.”

There are six candidates vying to replace Mayor David Lansford, who decided not to run again after 12 years in office.

Melancon said there are more early and absentee votes in this election (1,154) than the total votes cast in the last municipal election in 2006 (1,104). Early voting ended Friday.

Melancon said it’s a great thing that people are getting out and voting.

“You need to state your opinion,” she said, “no matter what your opinion is. This specific combination of items is making people want to be heard.”

Dale Hensley, an Air Force retiree, has worked at the polling locations for about five years.
“I tried it and found it was kinda fun. I meet lots of people. It’s a long day, but it isn’t too demanding,” Hensley said.

Each polling location has four judges, with one as a presiding judge. The judges are sworn to run the polls in accordance with the election laws, Hensley said.